"Thrust, step back, lower block, horizontal cut, side kick, punch, turn around the hilt, and smash it onto the dummy's head!" Sir Frederick yelled from outside. He was training the squires today, not knowing as I did what he said, all the way up in my room on the second floor of Ivyleaf Castle.

I've done that since I was barely four, and I'm probably better than half the squires already, and maybe some of the knights. Girls aren't allowed to learn fighting techniques here in Arcadia, though, so I have to keep my skills a secret. Dancing does wonders for strength, agility, and flexibility though, and I suspect that's how I'm quite good at it. Non-nobles usually don't learn, and squires are most definitely not nobles.

I whirled around and slashed and thrusted, careful not to damage anything in my room.

"Rhianna, your mother asks for your presence," Flora, my maid, called from behind the door.

I quickly hid my sword under my bed and opened the door. "Thank you, Flora. Tell Mother I'll be coming down soon."

She curtseyed and went away.

I looked at my reflection in the glass. Average height, hazel brown hair, blue eyes and a small nose, long eyelashes and arched eyebrows, just like my mother, the Queen of Arcadia. Not very formidable-looking at all, really, and though everyone says I looked beautiful, I want to look brave. And the rules I have to commit to...

No climbing trees, no trousers, no boots, no messy hair, no rudeness, no arguing. Being able to make peace, manners, politeness, grace, beauty, and not fighting are all vital parts of being a princess.

Mother says I should be grateful that I was born royalty, but sometimes I'd rather be normal and not have to act like a lady and wear dresses all day.

Don't get me wrong, I love dresses, but they're not very easy to move around in, so they're not exactly ideal for training.

I slipped on a long silky like green ball gown over my navy blue top (covered with silver armour I bribed a smith to make) and cotton navy blue trousers. I hid my rather bulky silver utility belt with a petticoat. Hopefully, Mother won't notice.

Hopefully.

I walked down to the throne room, careful to look like a lady. Chin up, back straight, soft steps, hands folded in front.

When I finally arrived at the throne room, I had to do a double take. Mother was chatting with a lot of other people whom I've never seen before. Their faces looked familiar, though. Maybe I've seen them in some books somewhere?

Mother turned towards me and smiled graciously. "Rhianna, meet King Gerard IV of the Kingdom of Birdsonnia, Queen Yvonne of the Queendom of Quernam, and King Terran II of the Kingdom of Faustus. Their sons, Prince George of Birdsonnia, Prince Devan of Quernam, and Prince Maven of Faustus have all come to ask for your hand in marriage."

What? Marriage?

Mother must've seen the look on my face, because then she added, "You are sixteen and therefore eligible for marriage. It is a duty and obligation of us to marry, and it will be good for our alliance."

"But---Mother! I cannot marry, I have not known any of my suitors for more than a few minutes. May I please have dinner to make friends with them?" I asked, trying to keep my panic from showing. I didn't want to become a wife! I barely knew the princes, and here in the Seven Kingdoms Alliance, a wife is bound by an unspoken rule to serve her husband wholeheartedly until he dies and bear him lots of children. Of course, Mother is an exception, but only because Father passed away of sickness when I was only two years old. And I'd have to move to the other kingdoms after I was married! Who would take care of Arcadia then? Mother can't live forever!

My head whirled with excuses on not marrying all throughout dinner, when suddenly, King Terran stood up and drew his sword, pointing it at Mother's throat.

There was dead silence from shock for a few seconds, then the dining hall burst into chaos.

Mother carefully grabbed hold of the sword's blade and knocked it onto the floor, but was immediately countered by seven of King Terran's guards, all holding lethal longswords to her chest.

Where in the name of Tyrsandi (the guardian god) were our guards and military?

Then I realised. Quickly, I shot a glance at General Audra, whose look confirmed what I was thinking.

Our military had turned!

"That useless, traitorous, dishonourable---" I muttered under my breath. Suddenly, one of the guards surrounding my mother stabbed her in the gut, and she collapsed, blood blooming across her beautiful violet dress.

"Mother!" I yelled, scrambling across the room full of panicking people to get to her. It was really hard, though, and before I could even run halfway to her, I was apprehended by a Faustus soldier.

"There, little pretty. If you follow me nicely, there will be no trouble at all..."

As if! I picked up a goblet from the table and threw it at the soldier's face. He hunched over, his nose bleeding, and I ran away.

I ran to the dungeon, since there was a secret passageway in there, but saw two soldiers attacking Prince Devan. He was trying to defend himself, but they were too much for him, and he collapsed.

I stabbed the two soldiers from behind, and helped him up. "Follow me! There's a secret passageway in here!"

He got to his feet shakily. "Princess, I owe my life to you. Whenever you need me, the Quernam army will always be by your side."

We rushed into the secret passageway and ran down it until we reached an opening, and ran through that into the forest.

Soon, we came to a crossroads, and had to part.

"Princess, I'm very grateful. Here, take this scroll. It has a twin scroll, and whatever I write on the twin will appear on the other. We can use it to communicate with each other."

"Thank you," I said, quite pleased. It would help a lot later.

Suddenly, we heard some soldiers coming. We nodded at each other and parted ways.